The 2010 U.S. Census recorded 12,465 black Americans with Stone as their last name. That represented 8% of the total of 153,329 entries.
This article tracks their numbers in the census since the Civil War. We also look at historic African American people named Stone.
We end with a review of early records of black military service in the United States.
After The Civil War
The 1870 census was the first survey after the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation. In 1850 and 1860, only free African Americans were recorded in the census. The many enslaved were omitted.
From 1870 onwards, all black Americans were included.
2,530 people named Stone were recorded in the 1870 census as black and 353 as mixed.
There was a total of 33,216 people with the name.
Stone In The 1900 And 1940 Census
The mixed category was dropped from the census in 1900, so we just need to look at the black numbers this time.
The 1900 census recorded 3,650 people with the last name Stone as black within a total of 53,647 that year.
By the way, the mixed category returned in the 1910 and 1920 censuses. It was dropped again in 1930, but replaced with extra categories for colored and non-white in a way that seems confusing now.
This changed again in 1940 and we can simply focus on one black category.
The 1940 census recorded 5,127 people named Stone as black within a total of 89,429.
Historic Black Figures With The Stone Surname
Here are some notable African Americans in history with Stone as their last name.
Chuck Stone
- Born: 1924
- From: St Louis, Missouri
- Died: 2014
Chuck Stone served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. When he left the army, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University and a master’s degree from the University of Chicago.
Stone began his journalism career in the 1950s, working at various newspapers. These included the New York Age, the Washington Afro-American, and the Chicago Daily Defender.
In 1972, Stone joined the Philadelphia Daily News as a senior editor and columnist. He gained a reputation for being a trusted intermediary between the community and law enforcement.
In addition to his career in journalism, Chuck Stone served as the first president of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ).
He was inducted into their Hall Of Fame in 2004. His co-founders of the organization included Pluria Marshall, Vince Sanders and Vernon Jarrett.
After retiring from the Philadelphia Daily News, Stone became a professor of journalism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Here are some other members of the NABJ’s Hall Of Fame:
James Stone
- Born: 1829
- From: Kentucky
- Died: 1862
James Stone fled from slavery in Kentucky in the 1850s to live in Loraine, Ohio, where he married and raised a family.
Stone had a light enough complexion to pass for white. This allowed him to enlist in the Union Army in 1861, two years before African Americans were permitted to join. He fought with an Ohio light artillery unit.
There may well have been others who did the same thing. But to current knowledge, Stone was the first black Union soldier.
Stone In Black Military Records
Military records are a rich resource of for family history research. Here are examples of the Stone surname from several different military services.
Buffalo Soldiers
Five regiments for black soldiers were formed during the Civil War. They were known as the Buffalo Soldiers.
Their records are part of the national archive of military monthly returns. The information includes the year and place of birth, where they enlisted, their occupation, and their height.
One of the earliest military entries for Stone was in January 1868. Arthur Stone was a Corporal in the Tenth Cavalry. He was stationed in January 1868 at Fort Arbuckle, Indian Territory.
One of the later entries was in July 1914. Harry Stone was a Sergeant in the Ninth Cavalry.
If you are researching military ancestors, there is a free index of these records on Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org.
You have to create an account on either website, but you do not need to pay for the Buffalo Soldiers archive.
Black Civil War Sailors
The National Parks Service has a free archive of African American sailors during the Civil War.
The information includes their age, height, rank, occupation, and where and when they enlisted. It also includes every ship that they served on.
You can search the database on the National Parks website.
Samuel Stone
One of the earliest entries for Stone was for Samuel Stone from Boston, Massachusetts. He enlisted in May 1861 at Boston when he was aged 31.
The record shows that Samuel was assigned on to the ship .
His occupation before enlisting was as a Machinist. His naval rank was Landsman.
“Landsman” was the lowest rank at the time and was given to recruits with little sea experience.
Marshall Stone
One of the later entries was for a sailor who enlisted at New Orleans in July 1862. Marshall was aged 19 and was from Surry County, Virginia.
He was assigned to the ship State Of Georgia on October 1862.
His naval rank was 1st Class Boy.
“1st Class Boy” was the rank given to young men who enlisted when they were under eighteen.